TimB

The tapered copper olive on the pipe seals between the tapered faces of the pump aluminium housing and the steel nut union. The compression of tightening makes a seal because the copper union compresses against the tapered surfaces. Whilst it needs to be tight, overtightening can damage the olive and it won't seal. First photo shows the seal has got a wear step on the seal surface from previous fitting/removal. But the pipe is also bent out of alignment too. If an o-ring was put into the joint it would just compress and probably rip/split. I see the idea but for this type of fitting not workable. All part of the fun of owning a classic.

The metal pipe bend looks like it is out of shape and this is pulling the inlet pipe out of alignment and may be stopping the olive aligning correctly in the pump inlet housing. I say replace the whole metal pipe, and olive with the new pipe properly bent to 90 degrees. Maybe fit the new pipe first then fit the rubber to it, so that you can see it is straight and central in the pump inlet. I've never found a sealant that will stop a fuel leak. An o-ring is the wrong type of fitting so would probably leak more. Bending the pipe to 90 degrees without compressing it or kinking it is the challenge. Plumbers pipe benders do not go down to such small pipe diameters, gas fitters use similar size pipe but I'm not sure what sort of bending tool they use. Screw fix may sell pipe bending tools of various sizes. Metal pipe needs to be rolled by a proper tool to prevent it closing up or cracking. Good luck

EBay item 186799017996 maybe? Ends soon

Keith, are you suggesting fake MK1 Lotus Cortinas exist 😲 🫣

Just flitted through as well, felt like punching the screen. Who is he? Some of his work practices are terrible and dangerous, shouldn't be allowed to show such things on what I think is meant to be a part educational video. On the car, I suspect it has hidden rot. My estate is so much better and more original than that, I wonder how he would react if he saw it. Better not put something rude on here but he'd have to change his underpants. In my opinion this shows all that is bad in the classic car world these days.

I can't answer your original question but FYI. - A higher ratio final drive will give higher top speed, lower engine cruising revs, slower acceleration and better fuel economy. A lower ratio final drive ratio will give lower top speed, higher engine cruising revs, better acceleration and lower fuel consumption. High ratio is lower number e.g 3.54, low ratio is higher number e.g. 3.9. Technical (maybe picky) detail - the final drive controls this ratio, not the diff. Also if you change the drive wheel diameter you will also affect the vehicle performance. The same applies to changing tyre aspect ratio. If the drive wheel rolling diameter is increased or decreased it will have the same affect as changing the final drive ratio. Also if you change any of the above the speedo will need calibrating to the new set up or it will be inaccurate. (not that speedos in any old car are accurate anyway) Hope you find the set up that suits you. Good luck.

I guess the situation is that with the estate gutter being thinner and less estates about than saloons manufacturers cannot be bothered . I'll keep looking/searching, there may be a trim for some other car that works. I'd be interested to hear from another estate owner who has had the same challenge.

Thanks. I measured the gutter on my estate and without taking the trim off the best measurement I could get was 14mm and 16mm for the trim outer width. So it is maybe 12/13mm. The trim on the car was moveable a bit, so that suggests it has been off in the past so may come off intact. I don't understand why no supplier, well not found one yet, does the length for an estate. It comes cut and rolled for postage so not like it is a special shaped piece. I got trims from East Kent Trim for my Avenger and that was just a length with a bit of extra and needed cutting to specific length on fitting. Don't know how many are looking at this but there must have been estates out there that have had gutter trims fitted. Have they all got a joint?

East Kent do not mention anything about different profile, claim their trim is generic. But pattern parts are never as original. Have to wait and see if anyone has had this problem before. Any chance you could measure the width of a saloon trim please. Ta. Tim

Hello all, wasn't sure what section to put this in, I've been searching gutter trims for my MK5 estate. East Kent Trim have them but only in saloon length and say buy 3 lengths for an estate. However this will mean there will be a visible join, not good. I've spoken to them and they tell me that this is because their supplier cuts the length and refuses to do a longer one piece for estates, so probably applies to other MK estates. They are also currently out of stock but confident this is temporary, but may be so until December. So does anyone know a supplier who does one piece gutter trims for MK5 estates or lengths that can be cut to length but the purchaser. Thanks in advance of any help. Tim

Good for you finding a working safe solution. Chopping coils off springs has been done for years but it really is not safe. Good luck again but you shouldn't need it if you keep making sensible decisions.

One of our recent Prime Ministers, whose name I refuse to use, was once motoring correspondent for The Mail or Telegraph, I think. He is renown for having a number of cars delivered to his home for reviews and all the cars were returned with no extra mileage recorded and covered in unpaid parking tickets. He was no doubt on a high 5 figure salary at the time.

Most, probably 99% of motoring journalists, don't know one end of a car from another. They usually get the job through nepotism to give them an easy well paid job because they are not capable of doing anything else.

I think Burtons supply them, will probably post.

I thought you had taken the head off, my suggestion would be like that because as you say debris would enter the cylinder. I've seen spark plugs that had been hollowed out but not asked how. Some people use them as an adaptor for compression testing. Sounds like a perseverance with care job. You'll get there.